Fluid control apparatus



July 9, 1963 .1. E. WOODS FLUID CONTROL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

JOHN E. WOODS ATT NEY Filed Oct. 2, 1961 July 9, 1963 J. E. WOODS 3,096,827

FLUID CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-5 I3 MIH I I- 49 eel 2 Q 'jgl INVENTOR. JOHN E. WOODS ATTORNEY United Stats 3,096,827 FLUID CONTROL APPARATUS John E. Woods, Cohasset, Mass, assignor to Standard- Thomson Corporation, Waltham, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 142,290 Claims. (Cl. 170--160.l3)

This invention relates to fluid control apparatus. The invention relates more particularly to structure for movement of air or other gas. The invention relates still more particularly to thermally controlled fan apparatus.

In many types of mechanisms it is desirable to have fan apparatus which is thermally controlled so that the movement of air or other gas is dependent upon the temperature thereof. For example, in association with a radiator of an internal combustion engine, it is desirable to have fan apparatus which causes movement of air through the radiator in accordance with the temperature of the air.

It is an object of this invention to provide adjustable pitch fan apparatus which is thermally controlled.

- Another object of this invention is to provide such apparatus which has a minimum number of moving parts and which is comparatively simple and inexpensive to construct.

Another object of this invention is to provide such fan apparatus in which the mechanism for adjustment of the pitch of the blades has small physical size and which requires a minimum amount of space.

Another object of this invention is to provide such fan apparatus in which the pitch control mechanism comprises elements which are comparatively simple to construct and to assemble.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of manufacture, and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, with parts broken away and shown in section, of a portion of the apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view, similar to FIGURE 2, but showing elements of the apparatus in another position of operation.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 7--7 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 8-8 of FIGURE 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, apparatus of this invention comprises hub structure 10 which may be attached to any suitable shaft 12 for rotation thereof. Herein bolt members 13 are shown for use in such attachment. The hub structure 10 is shown as including a pair of plates 14 and 16 which have opposed bent portions 18 and 20, respectively, which form a plurality of housings at spaced-apart positions. Bolt members 22 extend through the plates 14 and 16 for attachment thereof one to the other.

Within each housing which is formed by the bent portions '18 and is carried a stem 24. Any suitable bearing structure 26 may be used to rotatably support each stem 24, as best shown in FIGURE 2. A thrust bearing Patented July 9, 1963 28 is shown within larger bent portions 29 of the plates 14 and 16 and each thrust bearing 28 is in engagement with a shoulder 30 of one of the stems 24.

Each stem 24 has an extension portion 32 to which is rigidly attached a blade 38.

Each stem 24 has a cavity therein within which is disposed a quantity of thermally responsive expansiblecontractible material 40 which may be of any known type and which has the desired expansion characteristics over a given temperature range. Extending into the cavity of each stem 24 is a plunger or piston member 42. Each plunger 42 is shown as being in direct engagement with the thermally expansible-contractible material 40. However, if desired, suitable sealing means may be used between the plunger 42 and the material 40. Each plunger 42 has a key portion 43 which is shown herein as being polygonal in cross section and is axially slidably movable within a complementary polygonal portion of its respective stem 24.

Each plunger 42 has an end portion 46 which is provided with a pair of cam slots 48. Each of the end portions 46 is shown in rotatable and slidable contact with a bearing member 49. A pin or engagement member 50 is carried by each pair of the bent portions 18 and 29 of the plates 14 and 16. Each pin 50 slidably engages the end portion 46 of its respective plunger 42 within the slots 48 thereof.

Operation As stated above, the shaft 12 may be used for rotation of the hub structure 10. The shaft 12 may be rotated at any desired rate, which may be constant. Of course, rotation of the hub structure 10 causes rotation of the blades 38 about the axis of the shaft 12. When the temperature of the air which comes in contact with the hub structure 10 is below a given value, the thermally responsive material 40 within the stems 24 is of such a volume that no appreciable pressure is applied upon the plungers 42. Under such conditions, there is no force urging pivotal movement of the blades 38. Thus, movement of the blades 38 with rotation of the shaft 12 and the hub structure 10 causes the blades 38 to be feathered, i.e., to be disposed in substantially the same plane as the plates 14 and 16. The blades 38 assume this feathered position due to the fact that the blades 38, unless urged to angular positions, obtain positions of least resistance to the movement thereof through the air. Furthermore, centrifugal forces urge the plungers 42 toward their respective blades 38. Thus, when the temperature of the air contacting the hub structure 10 is below a given value the blades 38 are positioned as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

When the temperature of the air which is in contact with the hub structure 10 is above a given predetermined value, the thermally responsive material 40 expands to such an extent that the plunger 42 of each stem 24 is moved in a direction from its respective blade 38, as shown in FIGURE 5. When each plunger 42 is so moved in a direction from its respective blade 38, the plunger 42 is caused to rotatively move. This is due to the fact that the cam slots 48 in the portion 460i the plunger 42 cause rotative movement thereof as the plunger 42 moves axially. The key portion 43 of each plunger 42 causes its respective stem 24 to rotate with the plunger 42. Such rotative movement of each stem 24 causes rotative movement of its respective blade 38 and the blades 38 become positioned as shown in FIGURES 1, 5, 6 and 8. Thus, a greater volume of air is moved by the blades 38.

If the temperature of the air which engages the hub structure 10 is again reduced below a given value, the volume of the thermally responsive material 40 is reduced. Therefore, there is no appreciable pressure of the material 40 upon the plungers 42. Thus, each plunger 3 42 is permitted to move in a direction toward its respective blade 38.

Movement of the blades 38 with rotation of the hub structure causes centrifugal forces upon the plungers 42 and such movement causes forces of air upon the blades 68. These forces are generally sufficient to cause the blades 38 to feather when the air temperature is below a given value. However, under some circumstances resilient means (not shown) are employed to urge each plunger 42 to move axially toward its respective blade 38. Such resilient forces cause positive feathering of the blades 38 when there is no appreciable pressure of the thermally responsive material 40 upon the plungers 42.

Thus, it is understood that the apparatus of this invention comprises means for accurate control of the pitch of the blades 38 without the use of involved linkages or the like and without the use of elements which require considerable space. Thus, the apparatus of this invention may be constructed and assembled at relatively low costs and the structure of this invention is long-lived.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it Will be understood that Within the purview of this invention various changes maybe made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

'1. Apparatus of the type described comprising rotary support structure, a plurality of blade assemblies rotatively carried by the support structure, a plur-alityof thermally responsive actuator assemblies, there being one thermally responsive actuator assembly for each of the blade assemblies, each actuator assembly including axially extending and axially movable key means engageable with its respective blade assembly for rotation of the blade assembly with rotation of the key means, cam means joining each of the thermally responsive actuator assemblies to the support structure so that the actuator assembly is rotated with actuation thereof.

2. Fan mechanism comprising a hub, a plurality of stems rotatably carried by the hub, each of the stems having an extension portion spaced from the hub, a plurality of fan blades, there being a fan blade rigidly attached to each extension portion, each stem having a cavity, there being a quantity of thermally responsive pressure material Within the cavity of each stem, a plurality of axially movable piston members, there being a piston member for each of the stems, each piston member having a portion within the cavity of its respectivestem, the cavity of each stem having a polygonal portion, each piston member having a polygonal portion slidably fitting within the polygonal portion of its respective stem, each piston member having a cam portion exterior of the stem, a plurality of engagement members carried by the hub, there being one engagement member adjacent each of the stems and engageable by the cam portion of the piston member I stem member disposed within each housing portion with aremainder portion of the stem member extending from the hub structure, bearing means within each housing portion rotatably supporting the stem member thereof, a plurality of blades, there being a blade secured to the remainder portion of each stem member, each stem member having a cavity therein provided with an opening within its respective bousing portion of the hub structure, thermally responsive Work producing means within the cavity of each stem member, a plurality of axially movable plungers, there being a plunger within the cavity of each stem and extending therefrom through the opening thereof, each'plunger having an engagement portion engageable with its respective stem for rotation of the stem with rotation of the plunger, a plurality of engagement members, there being an engagement member Within each of said housing portions, each of the plungers having a cam portion in engagement with its respective engagement member so that with axial movement of the plunger there is rotative movement thereof. 1

4. Fan apparatus comprising rotary support structure, a plurality of stem members rotatably supported by the support structure, a plurality of blade members, there being one blade member carried by each of the stem member-s, each stem member being provided with a cavity therein, a plurality of plunger members, there being one plunger memberat least partially disposed within each of the stem members, each plunger member being axially movable with respect to its respective stem member, thermally responsive work producing means within the cavity of each stern member and operable to axially move the plunger member thereof, each plunger member having an extension portion extending fromits respective stem member and provided with a cam surfacega'plurality of cam'engagement members, there being a-cam engagement member carried by the support structure and engageable with. the cam surface of each extension portion so that axial movement of the plunger member results'in rotative movement thereof, each plunger member having an axially extending key portion engageable with .ajportion of its respective stem member so that rotative movement of the plunger member causes rotative movement of its respective stern member. i

5. Adjustablepitch fan apparatus comprising rotary support structure, a plurality of blade structures carried by the support structure, each blade structure including a stem provided with a cavity therein, a quantity; ofthermally responsive expansible-contractible material within the cavity, a linearly movable plunger having a portion-operably engageable with the thermally responsive expansiblecontractible material, .eachplimger having a key portion engageable with the stem for rotation of the stem with rotation of the plunger, each plunger also having a cam portion, and means carried by the support structure and engageable with the cam portion .for rotation of the plunger with linear movement thereof.

References Cited-in the file of this; patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,985,391 Vischer Dec. 25, 1934 2,118,654 Meijer May 24, 1938 2,147,078 Barish Feb. 14, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 460,921 Great Britain Feb. 8, 1937 987,531 France Apr. 18, 1951 996,607 France Sept. 5, 1951 

1. APPARATUS FOR THE TYPE DESCRIBED COMPRISING ROTARY SUPPORT STRUCTURE, A PLURALITY OF BLADE ASSEMBLIES ROTATIVELY CARRIED BY THE SUPPORT STRUCTURE, A PLURALITY OF THERMALLY RESPONSIVE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLIES, THERE BEING ONE THERMALLY RESPONSIVE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY FOR EACH OF THE BLADE ASSEMBLIES, EACH ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY INCLUDING AXIALLY WITH EXTENDING AND AXIALLY MOVABLE KEY MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH ITS RESPECTIVE BLADE ASSEMBLY FOR ROTATION OF THE BLADE ASSEMBLY WITH ROTATION OF THE KEY MEANS, CAM MEANS JOINING EACH OF THE THERMALLY RESPONSIVE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLIES TO THE SUPPORT STRUCTURE SO THAT THE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY IS ROTATED WITH ACTUATION THEREOF. 